10 Anime main characters who had more character development than Yuji Itadori

One of the most common points of contention in analyzing anime main characters is the level of development and growth they receive throughout the story. While some anime fans aren't particularly concerned with a character's progression, preferring to let the story flow and take its course, others believe that a protagonist's development is one of the most important aspects of any anime.

In this regard, Jujutsu Kaisen’s Yuji Itadori is an interesting case, often receiving large spurts of character growth that are unsustained throughout the story. Compared to other anime characters, such as Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan or Luffy from One Piece, who are always evolving, Yuji's potential is still a little bit unrealized.

Disclaimer: The following article represents the author’s opinions and their opinions only. It is also fully unranked.

One Piece’s Luffy, Re:ZERO’s Subaru, and more anime main characters with more character development than Yuji

1) Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)

Luffy as seen in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Throughout One Piece, Luffy is constantly growing as a person and applying the lessons he learned previously to current situations he’s experiencing. While he does get several major boosts of character development as Yuji does, his “inactive” periods still see him grow as a character, even if only in relatively minor ways.

Overall though, Luffy is undoubtedly more developed in this battle between anime main characters. The aforementioned constant development he experiences arc-to-arc via his travels and the people he meets and fights for in the process, how much character development he receives as a result of the series' scope and its incredibly large cast, and more combine to give him the advantage here.

2) Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)

Naruto as seen in the Naruto anime series (Image via Pierrot)

Naruto’s titular protagonist also receives constant development throughout his series, being one of many anime main characters who have visible character growth on an arc-to-arc basis. Naruto’s core story is also very synergistic to this, with it essentially showing Naruto go from undesirable to undeniable (while also making genuine connections along the way).

His foil relationship with deuteragonist Sasuke Uchiha also further develops Naruto by juxtaposing them, in addition to providing additional growth opportunities inherently. Given how the story is set up, Naruto is one of many anime main characters with an inherent developmental advantage over Yuji, thanks to his foil relationship with Sasuke and his zero-to-hero plotline.

3) Izuku “Deku” Midoriya (My Hero Academia)

Deku as seen in the My Hero Academia anime series (Image via BONES)

My Hero Academia’s Deku also has a similar setup to Naruto Uzumaki, albeit not quite the same. Nevertheless, the results are very similar; Deku’s story inherently sees him mature and grow as a character on an arc-to-arc basis, and his rivalry with Katsuki Bakugo also furthers this development and provides additional opportunities for it.

However, unlike Naruto, Deku and Bakugo’s relationship somewhat loses this aspect following their final major fight, in which Deku reveals the truth of his Quirk to Bakugo. Nevertheless, Deku remains one of the many anime main characters who are likely more developed than Yuji Itadori. This is due to his zero-to-hero story (like Naruto's), how much he's forced to grow as a person throughout the series (such as the Vigilante arc and his subsequent redemption), and more.

4) Asta (Black Clover)

Asta as seen in the Black Clover anime (Image via Pierrot)

Black Clover’s Asta also benefits from a similar setup to his series’ story and his being given a naturally talented and more skilled rival in the form of his adoptive brother Yuno. While the two’s relationship is more so used to show them surpassing their limits in a combative sense, it nevertheless still helps develop each of their characters.

Asta’s journey also provides him with significant development, especially at times when the series forces him to fail so he can grow stronger both physically and mentally. This all works synergistically enough to cement Asta as yet another of many anime main characters more developed than Jujutsu Kaisen’s protagonist.

5) Denji (Chainsaw Man)

Denji as seen in the Chainsaw Man anime (Image via MAPPA Studios)

Being a character-driven story in the guise of a battle shonen, Chainsaw Man’s Denji is essentially a “gimme” in terms of anime main characters more developed than Yuji. The entirety of part 1 is devoted to his growth as a human and character likewise, and part 2 furthers this development by juxtaposing the two things he wants most in life and forcing him to choose.

By doing so, Fujimoto prioritizes making characters worth getting invested in first rather than sticking to traditional shonen tropes and norms. Essentially, with author and illustrator Tatsuki Fujimoto crafting the story in such a way that the development of Denji and other characters comes so naturally, it’s definitive that Denji is more developed than Yuji.

6) Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)

Eren as seen in the Attack on Titan anime (Image via MAPPA Studios)

Attack on Titan’s Eren Yeager is yet another of many anime main characters whose journey focuses primarily on their growth and development. Eren’s case specifically is a very unique one, seeing him grapple between what he truly wants out of the life he has left as opposed to what he knows he must do for the sake of his friends.

In turn, this makes Eren a very compelling character who is fighting his friends, the world, and even himself by the time his journey concludes with his final choice on what and who to save. Without a doubt, this cements him as a more developed character than Jujutsu Kaisen’s Yuji.

7) Subaru Natsuki (Re:ZERO)

Subaru as seen in the Re:ZERO anime series (Image via White Fox)

One of the best parts about Re:ZERO is how naturally the series lends itself to character development, given Subaru’s powers. By always having a “reset” button to default back on, the series can have its cast of characters going through various hardships and experiences that characterize them in different ways. While the “reset” of these timelines pulls the growth away from the characters themselves, it nevertheless leaves a lasting impact on viewers.

In turn, the character remains developed and fleshed out to the viewer despite these resets, and audience members often learn more about a character than they otherwise would’ve in the kept, “final” timeline. Subaru benefits the most from this as the protagonist and is likewise one of several anime main characters more developed than Yuji.

8) Guts (Berserk)

Guts as seen in the Berserk manga (Image via Hakusensha)

Guts is a somewhat unique case among anime main characters who are more developed than Yuji. Essentially, fans first see Guts go from a loner to meeting Griffith and the Band of the Hawk before leaving them so he can grow on his own in terms of strength. Then, shortly after reuniting with them, he loses them due to Griffith’s betrayal. This starts a new journey on which he learns to form relationships and trust again, leading to him gaining several new friends.

In the process, he also finds a new love for life and is implied to now have reasons for living beyond his love for Casca and his burning desire to achieve his revenge on Griffith. Even though his development is a cyclical one that often takes steps back, it nevertheless helps to further develop him to new heights in the end, solidifying his inclusion here.

9) Lelouch Lamperouge (Code Geass)

Lelouch is one of the anime main characters more developed than Yuji (Image via Sunrise Studios)

At the onset of the series, Lelouch cares very literally for the conflicts of Code Geass’ world despite having a personal connection to them via his childhood origins. However, this changes when he receives the titular Geass power, and realizes he can begin changing the world as he wants to with it.

This sparks a change in him, which sees him become a much more active character pushing for the good of both Japan and Britannia. This culminates in his final act, which emphasizes just how much he’s changed by that point relative to the start of the series. While it’s certainly one of the closer comparisons of anime main characters on this list, Lelouch's character likely is slightly more developed than Yuji Itadori.

10) Thorfinn Thorsson (Vinland Saga)

Thorfinn as seen in the latest episode of the Vinland Saga anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Last but certainly not least, Vinland Saga’s protagonist is undoubtedly a shoe in for being one of many anime main characters with more development than Jujutsu Kaisen’s Yuji Itadori. A large part of this stems from the depths Thorfinn’s character is plunged to being left feeling responsible for his father’s death as a young 10-year-old boy.

This translates into a torturous existence during his teens, in which Thorfinn punishes himself by chasing vengeance. Eventually, he processes his grief properly and becomes a fully matured individual, culminating in the series’ infamous “I have no enemies” scene. Without a doubt, he’s one of several anime main characters more developed than Yuji.

In summation

It’s worth emphasizing that while several anime main characters could be argued as being more developed than Yuji, this doesn’t necessarily mean Yuji is underdeveloped. Moreover, as of this article’s writing, Yuji is actively fighting Sukuna in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, which will almost certainly lead to major character growth for him on the way to and through its resolution.